Colby to Host 12th Annual Kansas Ringneck Classic

COLBY, Kan. - Nov. 9, 2022 - PRLog -- The 12^1h Annual Kansas Governor's Ringneck Classic will be held from Nov. 18 to 21 in Colby, Kansas. It will welcome 80 hunters from 15 states to a three-day weekend filled with opportunities to hunt pheasants in fields around Colby. Guests will also enjoy banquets, auctions and special events. The Ringneck Classic aims to bring awareness and dollars to wild pheasant hunting and conservation in Kansas.

This year's theme, "Celebrating the Hunt and Wildlife of Northwest Kansas," is designed to acknowledge to impact of the Classic and the funds raised to support habit conservation. The City Limits Convention Center in Colby will host the evening banquets. At least 40 volunteer guides and dog handlers will step in to ensure that guests enjoy the spacious fields of nine counties in western Kansas.

Ed Arnett, The Wildlife Society's CEO, will be among the Governor's guest hunters and will deliver the Keynote address at the Saturday evening banquet.  Howard Vincent, retiring President and CEO of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, and Amy Ray, President and CEO of Sisterhood of the Outdoors, also will join in the pursuit of the iconic ringneck pheasant.

The Classic also will host its third annual "Chix in the Sticks," on Fri., Nov. 18^, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in the City Limits Bar & Grill. The event is open to the public and free. It will feature raffles, games and influential speakers in the world of women and hunting.

Since 2011, the Classic has generated more than $600,000 for local beneficiaries, youth, its partners supporting conservation efforts and the Northwest Kansas Conservation Foundation. The Foundation is the backbone of the yearly event. This year's youth hunters are Reece Ludwig, of Labette County High School, Rory Hawk, Kansas City Christian School and Cody Deal, of Walk In Faith Academy in Winfield, Kansas. In addition to participating in the hunt, they will walk away with a lifetime hunting and fishing permit in Kansas and a lifetime of memories made.

Sponsors include Conestoga Energy (Liberal, Kan.), Charter Communications, Western Plain Energy (Campus, KS), Waltons Inc. (Wichita, KS), NextEra Energy, Think Trust Products (De Soto, KS), Foote Cattle Company (Colby, KS), Federal Ammunition, Woofer Construction & Irrigation (Colby, KS), Roofmasters Roofing (Colby, KS), Aradatum, (Brighton, MI), Outside Purple (Aurora, CO), Cenex, Negrini Cases, World Fuel Services TriStar, Ruger,  Purina Dog Food, Franchi, True Fuel, Colby Convention and Visitors Bureau, Colby Chamber of Commerce, Qdoba (Colby, KS), Starbucks (Colby, KS), City Limits Bar and Grill, Oasis Travel Plaza (Colby, KS) and City Limits Convention Center(Colby, KS).

Several partners came onboard to support the event: Colby Country Gun Trader (Colby, Kan.), Freedom Hunters, Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, Pass It On Outdoor Mentors, "Women's Outdoor News," Kansas State Rifle Association and Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Recreation, The Wildlife Society and the Kansas Pioneer Chapter of Pheasants Forever.

Ringneck Classic / Northwest Kansas Conservation Foundation board members include Jim Millensifer, Keith O'Dell, Justin Jamison, Matt Hayes, Jake Haines, Nolan Hull, Justin Burrus, Jenny Niblock, Lana Johnson, Lexi Maris and Ringneck Classic administrator Laurie Millensifer.

For more information about supporting the Classic, contact Jim Millensifer at (785) 953-1139. See the Ringneck Classic's website.